Two West Michigan companies have been named to the list of 100 Best Companies to Work For by Fortune magazine.

Accounting firm Plante Moran, which is headquartered in Southfield and has an office in Grand Rapids, ranks No. 25, while Kalamazoo based medical equipment manufacturer Stryker ranks No. 61.

This is Plante Moran’s 15th-consecutive year on the list, and it is the highest ranking accounting firm on the 2013 list released last month. The firm has grown substantially during its extended run on the list — going from 978 employees to more than 2,000.

The firm credits several efforts with garnering employee love for the company, including its use of social media tools in recruiting entry-level talent, a diversity council that has several affinity groups, including one for LGBT employees, and its encouragement of community outreach and involvement.

The company also has a fun saying, “We are relatively jerk free,” which it tries to live up to and credits with its positive employee environment.

“Plante Moran has maintained — and expanded — the dynamic culture and staff retention practices that enable us to be recognized as one of the best places to work, even during a 15 year growth period,” said Gordon Krater, CPA, managing partner at the firm.

Stryker earned a spot on the list for the third year in a row, ranking No. 80 last year and No. 68 three years ago.

The magazine notes Stryker’s fun environment, which includes Ping-Pong tables for employee enjoyment and "pie-your-manager” competitions.

"The Stryker culture is one of its strongest assets," said Kevin Lobo, Stryker president and chief executive officer. "Our employees go above and beyond to achieve great results, and their dedication and passion for what they do is what makes Stryker a great place to work.

"We will continue investing in our employees and providing them with the support they need to be successful,” Lobo said.

This is the 16th year that Fortune magazine has compiled a list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. The rankings are based on survey results from 259 firms and more than 277,000 employees.

The survey was developed by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm operating in 45 countries around the world.

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